** This article first appeared in the fastest growing website for all things Major League Baseball. www.baseballessential.com Following the conclusion of the 2015 World Series, the 2015-2016 MLB offseason is officially under way. At the end of Friday, a total of twenty players around the league were offered qualifying offers by their respective teams. Each of the players will have exactly one week to either accept or decline the one…

When it rains, it pours (metaphorically of course, it never rains enough in California). Not only do the San Diego Chargers start the second half of the season with a 2-6 record, but injuries have continued to pile up on this roster. The biggest loss came last Sunday in Baltimore against the Ravens, when Keenan Allen made a spectacular catch at the end of the half, but also suffered a lacerated…

It wasn’t all Pete Stoyanovich‘s fault. The snap was high, the timing was off and after losing a 15 point halftime lead, it just seemed like the Dolphins were destined to lose and I was destined to be a Chargers fan. Generally speaking, January’s on Long Island are freezing with Sundays being reserved for hot cocoa, intermittent snow shoveling and the NFL playoffs. My dad had just purchased our nicest…

The San Diego Padres announced on Friday afternoon that they would be extending qualifying offers to both Justin Upton and Ian Kennedy. For this season, the amount of the one year qualifying offer contract is 15.8 million, if any player chooses to accept. Both players have until next Friday, November 13, to either accept or decline the one year offer. If either or both the two players decline, the Padres…

The Chicago White Sox declined the $10 million dollar option on Alexei for the 2016 season. The Cuban shortstop has been with the team since 2008, but could he be an option for the vacant shortstop position on the Padres? The answer is an obvious yes. At this point any and all shortstops are an upgrade over what the Padres currently have at the position. Clint Barmes was sent packing…

On Tuesday afternoon the Phillies announced that they would not be picking up the option of injured left hander Cliff Lee. Instead of exercising Cliff Lee’s $27.5 million dollar option for 2016, the Phillies decided instead to buyout his contract for a hefty sum of $12.5 million. This comes as no surprise, as the Phillies had already made their intentions known prior to the end of the season. Lee will…

With the first half of the season behind us, we as Chargers’ fans must ask ourselves, what else can go wrong this season? The injury bug has transformed into a full on plague, and no player is safe. On Tuesday, the San Diego Chargers added three more players to season-ending IR, WR Keenan Allen (lacerated kidney), RB Brandon Oliver (toe), and OLB Tourek Williams (foot). Williams had been out since the preseason….

The Texas Rangers came very close to advancing in the American League Divisional Series. A couple of errors in the seventh inning of the decisive game five of the ALCS by Elvis Andrus helped the Toronto Blue Jays rally to win the game 6-3. These errors were a huge disappointment. Not exactly the best time to have back to back misplays on the field. It happens though. If you play…

The Padres will be bringing back Joaquin Benoit for the final year of his contract, the team announced on Tuesday. The Padres had a choice between exercising Benoit’s option or paying him a buyout and letting him become a free agent. Benoit had one million dollar buyout but the Padres chose instead to pay Benoit his full 7.5 million dollar salary for 2016. The Padres also announced that they have…

Chargers release Jacoby Jones, five punt returns, -4 yards and $2.5 million later: https://t.co/cdj0wUfcxC — Michael Gehlken (@UTgehlken) November 3, 2015 The inevitable has happened as the San Diego Chargers have released return specialist Jacoby Jones. The wide receiver and return man had performed horribly in his tenure as a San Diego Charger. With five punt returns for a total of -4 yards there really was no reason to…

Lost in the seemingly endless sea of A.J. Preller’s off-season acquisitions was the quiet signing of Brett Wallace to a minor league contract with an invite to Spring training. Wallace obviously lacks the star power or name recognition of the likes of Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, Wil Myers or James Shields, but he represented a very low risk, high reward addition to the roster. Wallace did not see much playing…

UPDATE: Keenan Allen has been placed on season ending IR with a lacerated kidney. Here’s hoping for a quick recovery for KA and can’t wait to see him lead the league in receptions next season fully healthy. San Diego Chargers‘ wide receiver Keenan Allen suffered a kidney injury catching an incredible TD pass Sunday in the Bolts loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Allen was slow to get up and it…